V-BAT for Japan. Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force has selected Shield AI’s V-BAT as its Group 3 unmanned aircraft system (UAS)program of record to provide intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities on the country’s naval surface vessels, the company posted last month on LinkedIn. The Defense Post reported that Japan set aside $25 million in 2025 to acquire six of the UAS.
Veggie Power. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency wants to explore the use of vegetation as sensors based on how local grasses, plants, and trees respond to chemical exposure, the agency said in a pre-Christmas announcement. The eX Virentia effort is a “fast-paced, high-reward research program” with a focus on remote sensing of chemical exposure on vegetation, DARPA said. The agency points out that “Many types of civil, commercial, illicit, or military operations used a variety of common and specialized chemicals in their processes” and that understanding the impacts of these on local vegetation could allow the Defense Department to “take action to mitigate negative environmental effects and/or protect U.S. interests.”
Acquisition. Avion Solutions, a Huntsville, Ala.-based small business providing aerospace engineering, modeling and simulation, and other services to its customers, has acquired Tennessee Valley Research Group (TVRG), which has expertise in laser technology systems, tactical ballistic missile targes, and hypersonic weapon field testing. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. “This acquisition marks another significant milestone in our growth strategy, reinforcing our commitment to providing comprehensive solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers,” Evan Wagner, Avion’s president and CEO, said in a statement. TVRG is also located in Alabama, about a 30-minute drive west of Huntsville.
Booz Settles. The Justice Department last Friday said that Booz Allen Hamilton has agreed to pay $15.9 million to resolve allegations a company subsidiary violated the False Claims Act by submitting fraudulent claims related to a Government Services Administration task order for computer military training simulators and systems to the Defense Department. The U.S. government alleged that two Booz Allen employees, a co-owner of QuantaDyn, a subcontractor of the subsidiary, and an Air Force civilian contracting official, committed fraud together to “improperly and illegally” provide Booz Allen with “confidential government contracting and budget information, a competitor’s confidential bid or proposal information and source selection information.” The information allowed the two Booz Allen employees to “influence” the GSA to obtain the task order, the Justice Department said.
CATVs. BAE Systems recently received $68 million in awards from the Army to deliver 44 more Cold Weather All-Terrain Vehicles (CATV), the company said on Dec. 20. The deals include a $48 million add-on to the existing full-rate production contract, originally awarded in August 2022, and a new $20 million award with 2025 funding. “We are proud to support additional CATV production for the U.S. Army and are confident that the vehicle’s go-anywhere ability and modular design will meet their future needs, allowing them to carry out a range of missions from military operations to humanitarian assistance and disaster response,” Dean Medland, vice president of Sustainment & International at BAE Systems, said in a statement. For the CATV program, BAE Systems has been delivering its new Beowulf platform, the un-armored variant of its BvS10 tracked all-terrain vehicle that is replacing the Army’s legacy Bv206 vehicles.
DoD Picks. President-elect Trump has officially selected investor Stephen Feinberg as his deputy secretary of defense. Trump announced the pick on Dec. 20, describing Feinberg as an “extremely successful businessman.” Feinberg is the cofounder of Cerberus Capital Management, which has invested in a portfolio of defense contractors. He also served as chair of the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board and Intelligence Oversight Board during Trump’s first term. Trump also announced he has selected Elbridge Colby, a think tank official who most recently launched the Marathon Initiative policy research organization, as his under secretary of defense for policy and Michael Duffey, a former deputy chief of staff to the secretary of defense, to serve as the Pentagon’s acquisition chief.
UKR Aid. The Biden administration on Dec. 30 approved nearly $2.5 billion in new weapons aid for Ukraine, split between $1.25 billion in capabilities to be pulled from Pentagon inventories using Presidential Drawdown Authority and $1.22 billion in capabilities to be procured from industry using Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative funds. The latest security assistance announcement arrives as the Biden administration continues its push to use all remaining aid authority before the end of their term. The combined new package includes more munitions for NASAMS air defense systems and HIMARS launchers, HAWK air defense munitions, Stinger missiles, counter-drone munitions, UAS capabilities, 155mm and 105mm artillery ammunition, air-to-ground munitions, HARM and TOW missiles, small arms and ammunition and grenades, demolitions equipment and munitions, secure communications equipment and commercial satellite imagery services, according to the Pentagon.
C100 sUAS. Performance Drone Works (PDW) has received over $15.3 million in orders from the Army for deliveries of its C100 Group 2 small UAS, the company said on Dec. 23. The Army in September selected PDW’s C100 and Anduril Industries’ Ghost X for the Company-Level sUAS program, which was then tapped to be scaled up under the 1.2 tranche of DoD’s Replicator initiative. PDW said the C100 deliveries will support the Army’s ‘Transformation in Contact’ to rapidly test and field new capabilities, adding the system will be deployed across multiple high-profile theaters, including Indo-Pacific Command, European Command and Central Command. “The C100 drone is setting a new standard for battlefield agility and operational impact, equipping soldiers with the ability to conduct missions autonomously without external fire support,” PDW CEO Ryan Gury said in a statement. “We are honored to support the Army’s critical objectives and proud to deliver a solution that enables the maneuver force with decentralized and dispersed capabilities.”
SSN-797. General Dynamic Electric Boat delivered the future USS Iowa (SSN-797) Virginia-class attack submarine to the Navy on Dec. 22, which the Navy highlighted was the 12th battle force ship and second attack submarine delivered in 2024. The Iowa is also the 24th overall and 13th submarine of its class from Electric Boat. Following delivery, the submarine and its crew are due to perform a series of tests and trials before it is commissioned, planned for April 2025 in Groton, Conn. SSN-797 is the sixth of 10 Block VI submarines. The Iowa is the fifth overall naval vessel and first submarine named after the state. It was first christened in June 2023.
DDG-145. Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro said in New York City on Jan. 3 that a future Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, DDG-145, will be named the USS Intrepid. This will be the fifth Navy ship with that name. Del Toro made the announcement aboard the former fourth ship, the Intrepid Museum former aircraft carrier. The first Intrepid was captured from the Barbary state of Tripoli in 1803. The Intrepid aircraft carrier served from 1943 to 1974.
LCS-10 DSRA. The Navy awarded Vigor Marine LLC a $56 million contract action on Dec. 20 to perform the maintenance, modernization, and repair of the USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS-10) Fiscal Year 2025 Docking Selected Restricted Availability (DSRA). DoD announced this award on Dec. 30. LCS-10 is an Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship based out of San Diego. The announcement said the scope of the award covers the supervision, equipment, production, testing, facilities, and quality assurance necessary to prepare for and accomplish this Chief of Naval Operations Availability for maintenance, modernization, and repair. The contract includes options that, if exercised, will raise the total value to nearly $66 million. Work will occur at Vigor’s facility in Seattle and is expected to be finished by May 2026. DoD said the contract was competitively procured with two offers received, but as is standard did not disclose the losing competitor.
